1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to semiautomatic compresses useful in preventing blood flow out of a wound caused by an invasive procedure into an artery or the like for a sufficient time to permit clotting.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Modern medicine combines miniaturization of certain instruments with greater knowledge to permit new invasive techniques into arteries, such as arteriograms and angiograms.
In this technique, a surgical incision opens an artery in a selected area such as the groin, and a selected instrument such as a television camera coupled to a lens via fiber optics is utilized to view a selected part of the interior of a human body. The lens, coupled to fiber optic wire or cable is inserted through an artery, usually through a tube inserted for the purpose. A light may be utilized so that the lens receives back sufficient radiation for the desired purpose. The preceding two paragraphs describe prior art techniques and knowledge not claimed in the present invention.
After an intervention as described previously herein, the patient is left with a wound which includes a hole through the outer skin, artery wall, and all the tissue in between. The artery is large enough and the blood pressure is great enough so that the patient would bleed to death unless appropriate measures were taken to stop the bleeding and begin healing of the wound.
In the prior art, these measures include hand pressure of about 30 pounds against the outer skin of the patient surrounding the wound for hours to ensure clotting. This is very uncomfortable for the patient who must remain in an unnatural position relatively motionless. This is difficult for the nurse who must exert a strong force, but not too strong a force which exertion tires her quickly, but nevertheless she must maintain the force. Sometimes bleeding resumes when fatigue forces the nurse to switch hands or when one nurse relieves another nurse or when the patient moves. Sometimes the resumed bleeding leads to complications which injure or kill the patient.
What is needed, but not disclosed by the prior art is a semiautomatic or automatic compress which would stop bleeding long enough for clotting without forcing the patient to remain in one unnatural position for a very long time during the clotting process and without exposing the patient to the risks of nurse or patient fatigue, cramping, or other very human problems which have caused bleeding to resume in many patients.